Semiconductor processing

Abstract

A semiconductor product comprises an insulator layer and a SOI (Silicon On Insulator) layer on the insulator layer, wherein the SOI layer contains implanted Germanium (Ge) at or near the interface with the insulator layer so as to form gettering sites. The semiconductor product can be manufactured by ion implanting Germanium (Ge) into silicon material and bonding the silicon material onto a handle so as to form a SOI substrate.

1 . A semiconductor product comprising:
 an insulator layer; and   a SOI (Silicon On Insulator) layer on the insulator layer,   wherein the SOI layer contains Germanium (Ge) at or near the interface with the insulator layer.   
   
   
       2 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 1 , wherein the Ge is arranged to form gettering sites. 
   
   
       3 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 2 , wherein the gettering sites form isolated islands. 
   
   
       4 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 3 , wherein the isolated islands have a maximum diameter of less than 50 nm. 
   
   
       5 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 1 , wherein a peak Ge concentration is located within a layer of the SOI layer closest to the insulator layer, and wherein said layer is less than 50% as thick as the SOI layer. 
   
   
       6 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 1 , wherein 95% of the Ge is located within a layer-like region of the SOI layer closest to the insulator layer, and wherein said region is less than 50% as thick as the SOI layer. 
   
   
       7 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 6 , wherein the Ge content in the layer-like region is less than 1%. 
   
   
       8 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 1 , wherein the Ge is provided in the form of implanted ions. 
   
   
       9 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 8 , wherein the ions have been implanted with an implanting dose less than 1e18 ions/cm 2 . 
   
   
       10 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 8 , wherein the ions have been implanted through that surface of the silicon material of the SOI layer which, in the semiconductor product, is closest to the insulator layer. 
   
   
       11 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 1 , wherein the insulator layer comprises an oxide layer. 
   
   
       12 . A semiconductor product according to  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor product has been made by bonding Ge containing silicon material onto a handle so as to form said SOI layer. 
   
   
       13 . A method comprising using Germanium as gettering substance in a SOI layer at or near the interface of the SOI layer with an insulator layer. 
   
   
       14 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor product, comprising:
 inserting Germanium (Ge) into silicon material; and   bonding the silicon material onto a handle so as to form a SOI substrate.   
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the Ge forms gettering sites. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein the gettering sites form isolated islands. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein inserting the Ge comprises inserting the Ge into, or through, the surface of the silicon material. 
   
   
       18 . A method according to  claim 17 , wherein bonding the silicon material onto the handle comprises bonding onto the handle that surface of the silicon material into, or through, which the Ge has been inserted. 
   
   
       19 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein inserting the Ge comprises implanting Ge ions into the silicon material. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 19 , wherein implanting the Ge ions comprises implanting the Ge ions with an implanting dose less than 1e18 ions/cm 2 . 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the silicon material comprises a device wafer and/or the handle comprises a handle wafer. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the handle wafer comprises silicon. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising thinning the device wafer. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising annealing the bonded pair comprising the silicon material bonded onto the handle. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising forming a semiconductor device in the SOI substrate.